On March 12, the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) voted to advance the Economic Development Reauthorization Act of 2024 (S. 3891) by voice vote. This legislation, if enacted, would reauthorize the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) for the first time in nearly 20 years. The bill contains many of the priorities for EDA reauthorization that are of paramount importance for NADO members and EDA-designated Economic Development Districts (EDDs).
 
Having been approved by the Senate EPW Committee, the next step in the process will hopefully be for this bill to be brought to the floor for a vote by the full Senate. Please ask your Senators to support and vote for Senate Bill 3891. Currently, no companion legislation has been introduced in the House. We need your help in identifying potential champions to help lead this effort. Please ask your Representatives to introduce and support the passage of similar legislation in the House.

Urgent action needed by NADO Members:

• Use this template letter to send an email to your Senators and Representatives
• Share this fact sheet on EDA reauthorization with your Senators and Representatives 
• Share this fact sheet focused on EDA Partnership Planning appropriations with your Senators and Representatives 
• Help NADO staff identify members of Congress serving within the House of Representatives who are supportive of EDA and EDDs and who might be willing to sponsor similar legislation in the House, particularly Republican members.
• For more resources, click here.

If enacted, Senate Bill 3891 would reauthorize the Economic Development Administration, and would strengthen many important elements of EDA’s statute and its programs. Among many other provisions, the bill would:

• Increase the authorized funding level for EDA Partnership Planning from $27 million to $90 million in FY25 (escalating to $130 million by FY29).
• Give EDA the ability to increase the federal share for Partnership Planning up to 100% (no local match)
• Increase the authorized funding level for many of EDA’s core programs, including: Public Works; Partnership Planning; Training, Research, and Technical Assistance; Economic Adjustment Assistance, and Assistance to Coal Communities 
• Enhance EDA’s ability to make investments in broadband, disaster recovery, workforce training, and predevelopment
• Revise EDA’s cost-sharing requirements across the board by increasing EDA’s federal share and reducing local match
• Reauthorize certain Regional Commissions

Additional information and resources can be found here:
Senate EPW Committee Press Release
Senate Bill 3891 Bill Text
Senate Bill 3891 section-by-section bill summary
NADO Advocacy Resources
House and Senate Committees with jurisdiction over EDA reauthorization
 
Contact Mirielle Burgoyne [email protected] and Jamie McCormick [email protected] with any questions.